It had been 3 days since I had seen Bosco and I felt like I was in
withdrawal. I had woken up in the middle of the night twice, expecting to
see him asleep next to me or in the living room on the couch. Sleeping
peacefully with his cherubic expression. When that happened I would either
roll over on my side and try not to think about our short friendship, or I
would start to cry softly. I'd end up falling asleep curled in a ball, my
palms shoved into my eyes to subside the tears that would just keep coming.
Jimmy and I had gone on two more dates during those three days. He could tell something was wrong and did everything in his power to make me laugh and smile... and he did. He kept my mind off of my fallen best friend for the most part, but there was still a little voice in the back of my mind that shouted Bosco's name.
Sharp, rapid knocks on my apartment door interrupted my thoughts - of Bosco, of Jimmy, and of the fact that I probably wouldn't be suffering like this if I hadn't had moved from Chicago. I lifted my head from my knees, my secure position on my recliner. I approached my door cautiously since I wasn't expecting any visitors. When I pressed my eye to the peephole I didn't see anything. I opened the door slowly. Flowers were at my doorstep. I picked them up then carried them inside. I breathed in their scent.
Carnations, my favorite. I dug around the flowers gingerly for a card. After I put the flowers in a vase and filled it with some water, I took the card to the recliner. I opened it gingerly.
Raeanne,
I'd be deeply honored if you would meet me at The Bridle Path in Central Park at 3:00 PM. I'll have a limo waiting outside the apartment at 2:30 to take you where I want you to go. I'll have a horse ready for you at the Path. Much Love, Me.
* * *
It was 3:15 and the brisk December air was biting. It wasn't like Jimmy to be late, in fact he had been early for our previous dates. After the limo driver gave me a note with the specific location of where I was supposed to be sitting and dropped me off at the Reservoir, it hadn't taken me very long to get to the bench. Another bouquet of flowers was sitting on it with my name on the card. Nothing but my name. A few curious riders had looked me over as the rode by. A prim and mid-50s couple had smiled warmly as they passed.
At 3:25 I was getting agitated, and my body was starting to grow numb from the breeze that had picked up. I was walking away from the bench when I heard a horribly clipped British accent calling my name. I whirled around to see who it was. To my over-whelming surprise, Bosco was galloping my way on a white steed.
"Don't leave, milady!" he called out. I suppressed my laughter until he got within earshot.
"Bosco, what are you doing here?" I giggled insanely. Bosco dismounted from his horse, giving me a good view of his outfit. He wore an exact copy of Hugh Jackman's outfit in "Kate and Leopold" - the white high- collar shirt, an off-white button-down vest over it, and a dark blue crushed velvet jacket with fancy gold lace on the edges. His pants were off- white, form fitting, and disappeared into brown leather riding boots. "Why are you dressed like that?"
"I came to give a noble surprise to milady," he smiled. I couldn't help but giggle at the sound of his British imitation. He was so horrible at it, but I thought so highly of him for gathering the guts to even wear the outfit. He gently brought a rose down from the 1800s-type saddle of the horse. He brought it to his nose, then offered it to me.
"You should save that for your date, Bos," I stated, looking for Jimmy.
"You are my date, madam," Bosco took my hand and gently pressed the white flower into the palm of my hand.
"You left the note?" I felt my jaw drop. Bosco grinned. "Where's my horse?"
"A proper lady doesn't ride a horse by herself," he shook his head. He gently kissed my free hand, then led me to the horse. "She should always ride with a gentleman."
"What's this for, Bosco?" I asked as I threw my leg over the saddle. I positioned myself as Bosco climbed onto the hose, sitting behind me. He wrapped his arms around me to grip onto the reigns.
"I wanted to say I was sorry," he announced. I turned my head to look back at him. His eyes were shining.
"You really want to make it up to me?" I whispered. A young couple, not much older than me, stopped to stare at us.
"Hello," Bosco smiled. He kicked the horse, sending us trotting into a more private location.
"Why don't you do romantic things for me like that Brit, Nat?" I heard the girl complain. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Bosco stopped the horse in a private nook of the Bridal Path. I re-positioned myself so that I sat side-saddle.
"Yes, I do want to make it up to you," he told me.
"Stop talking like you're from England," I grinned. Bosco's face lit up.
"I'm not the best am I?" he laughed. I shook my head.
"Bos. I love this so much, it's so sweet. I mean, none of my other best friends would've done this for me," I stopped to laugh. "Then, again my best friends were girls."
"Well I bet they never loved you the way I do," Bosco said matter-of- factly. I felt the smile on my face dip into a serious expression. Bosco's face softened too.
"I'm sure they didn't,"
Jimmy and I had gone on two more dates during those three days. He could tell something was wrong and did everything in his power to make me laugh and smile... and he did. He kept my mind off of my fallen best friend for the most part, but there was still a little voice in the back of my mind that shouted Bosco's name.
Sharp, rapid knocks on my apartment door interrupted my thoughts - of Bosco, of Jimmy, and of the fact that I probably wouldn't be suffering like this if I hadn't had moved from Chicago. I lifted my head from my knees, my secure position on my recliner. I approached my door cautiously since I wasn't expecting any visitors. When I pressed my eye to the peephole I didn't see anything. I opened the door slowly. Flowers were at my doorstep. I picked them up then carried them inside. I breathed in their scent.
Carnations, my favorite. I dug around the flowers gingerly for a card. After I put the flowers in a vase and filled it with some water, I took the card to the recliner. I opened it gingerly.
Raeanne,
I'd be deeply honored if you would meet me at The Bridle Path in Central Park at 3:00 PM. I'll have a limo waiting outside the apartment at 2:30 to take you where I want you to go. I'll have a horse ready for you at the Path. Much Love, Me.
* * *
It was 3:15 and the brisk December air was biting. It wasn't like Jimmy to be late, in fact he had been early for our previous dates. After the limo driver gave me a note with the specific location of where I was supposed to be sitting and dropped me off at the Reservoir, it hadn't taken me very long to get to the bench. Another bouquet of flowers was sitting on it with my name on the card. Nothing but my name. A few curious riders had looked me over as the rode by. A prim and mid-50s couple had smiled warmly as they passed.
At 3:25 I was getting agitated, and my body was starting to grow numb from the breeze that had picked up. I was walking away from the bench when I heard a horribly clipped British accent calling my name. I whirled around to see who it was. To my over-whelming surprise, Bosco was galloping my way on a white steed.
"Don't leave, milady!" he called out. I suppressed my laughter until he got within earshot.
"Bosco, what are you doing here?" I giggled insanely. Bosco dismounted from his horse, giving me a good view of his outfit. He wore an exact copy of Hugh Jackman's outfit in "Kate and Leopold" - the white high- collar shirt, an off-white button-down vest over it, and a dark blue crushed velvet jacket with fancy gold lace on the edges. His pants were off- white, form fitting, and disappeared into brown leather riding boots. "Why are you dressed like that?"
"I came to give a noble surprise to milady," he smiled. I couldn't help but giggle at the sound of his British imitation. He was so horrible at it, but I thought so highly of him for gathering the guts to even wear the outfit. He gently brought a rose down from the 1800s-type saddle of the horse. He brought it to his nose, then offered it to me.
"You should save that for your date, Bos," I stated, looking for Jimmy.
"You are my date, madam," Bosco took my hand and gently pressed the white flower into the palm of my hand.
"You left the note?" I felt my jaw drop. Bosco grinned. "Where's my horse?"
"A proper lady doesn't ride a horse by herself," he shook his head. He gently kissed my free hand, then led me to the horse. "She should always ride with a gentleman."
"What's this for, Bosco?" I asked as I threw my leg over the saddle. I positioned myself as Bosco climbed onto the hose, sitting behind me. He wrapped his arms around me to grip onto the reigns.
"I wanted to say I was sorry," he announced. I turned my head to look back at him. His eyes were shining.
"You really want to make it up to me?" I whispered. A young couple, not much older than me, stopped to stare at us.
"Hello," Bosco smiled. He kicked the horse, sending us trotting into a more private location.
"Why don't you do romantic things for me like that Brit, Nat?" I heard the girl complain. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Bosco stopped the horse in a private nook of the Bridal Path. I re-positioned myself so that I sat side-saddle.
"Yes, I do want to make it up to you," he told me.
"Stop talking like you're from England," I grinned. Bosco's face lit up.
"I'm not the best am I?" he laughed. I shook my head.
"Bos. I love this so much, it's so sweet. I mean, none of my other best friends would've done this for me," I stopped to laugh. "Then, again my best friends were girls."
"Well I bet they never loved you the way I do," Bosco said matter-of- factly. I felt the smile on my face dip into a serious expression. Bosco's face softened too.
"I'm sure they didn't,"